Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1316563
1 0 P E R S P E C T I V E | N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 N E W S B. CHECK-IN STATION. C. CATERING AREA WITH PLEXI BARRIERS. D. STAGE ENTRANCE. PHOTOS COURTESY OF STEVE ARNOLD, PRODUCTION DESIGNER OF MIDNIGHT MASS. interiors are built on stage. She also found that demands for holding areas on stage meant fewer sets could be accommodated, and so there is a need for significantly more stage space. Another adjustment the crew of NCIS: New Orleans has implemented is to set up, plaster and at least start the paint treatment of scenery off stage, to limit the time the crew has to be on stage to complete the setup. Health reuirements touch on every aspect of a normal day in the Art Department. Physical distance has to be maintained and masks worn everywhere except in private offices. Shorter workdays are common to allow time for cleaning requirements, and in some cases, smaller crews are required by limited workspace, meaning less can get done each day. In many cases, this has led to fewer pages shot each day and longer production timelines. Catering and craft service have had to adjust the way food is served, and meals have become distanced activities, often involving plexiglass barriers, or solo office affairs. Even something like the daily temperature checks can become an unexpected bottleneck, prompting either unproductive wait times or staggered crew calls, leading to even more scheduling challenges. One common element that has come out of discussions with several Production Designers and Art Directors is that production companies are taking the responsibility of following these health protocols very seriously, and crews are adapting and rising to the occasion. The final observations made by John Shaffner, Production Designer for The Conners, was: "We all face the challenge of reading people's faces, but I think we have more eye contact now! I am most grateful for the enthusiastic, positive and co-operative attitudes of everyone making this work, and the masks!!!" B C D